Teacher

Names of God including the words “teacher” or “rabbi.”

Three names include these two words. For more information, click on the specific names in this list:

Good Teacher

Rabbi

Teacher (see below)

 

 

Teacher

God is given this title in two Old Testament verses. However, in the Gospels it is a common title of Jesus (Yeshua‘), equivalent to Rabbi.

One translation of Joel 2:23 includes the title “Teacher of Righteousness.” The Hebrew root yarah is also used of the shooting of arrows. A teacher has something to shoot or aim at and point his student towards—in this case, righteousness. Many English Bibles prefer alternative readings such as “early rain for your vindication.” However, in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Teacher of Righteousness is mentioned often as a title for the priestly leader of the community.1

Teacher in Hebrew:

Moreh

Strong’s Concordance number: 4175b

Bible references: Job 36:22; Isa. 30:20

Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. (Isaiah 30:20)

NIV and KJV have the plural “teachers,” but the verb that goes with it is singular.

A photograph of the Greek verse in which Jesus called Himself "teacher" using the Greek word didaskalos (John 13:13).

Jesus called Himself “teacher” using the Greek word didaskalos (John 13:13).

Teacher in Greek:

Didaskalos

Strong’s Concordance number: 1320

Bible references: Matt. 8:19; 12:38; 19:16; 22:16, 36; 26:18; Mark 4:38; 5:35; 9:17, 38; 12:14, 19, 32; 13:1; Luke 8:49; 9:38; 10:25; 11:45; 12:13; 19:39; 20:21, 28, 39; 21:7; 22:11; John 8:4; 11:28; 13:13-14 and about forty times elsewhere.

And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16)

In John 1:38 and 20:16, John explains that didaskalos is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word rabbi.

In several places, the KJV translates didaskalos as “master.”

The Greek word kathēgētēs is usually translated as leader or guide, but it can include “teacher.”

A similar name of Jesus is Good Teacher.

 

  1. W. Kaiser, The Messiah in the Old Testament (Zondervan Publishing House 1995), pp. 139-42, 172-3. [↩]